Ask a Tutor! Shara-Sue Crump

Here at Applerouth, we know our biggest strength is our wonderful tutors. We’ll be taking you into their world over the next few months, talking to them about their passions, their challenges and their successes.

Our first featured tutor is Shara-Sue Crump, a Full-Time Premium Tutor and Tutor Manager of our Atlanta Preferred Tutors. In her four years at Applerouth, Shara-Sue has worked with hundreds of students, bringing her signature blend of smarts, humor, and encouragement to each and every one. We sat down with Shara-Sue to talk to her about her life as a full-time tutor and manager.

Q: Let’s start at the beginning - what led you to SAT/ACT tutoring?

A: I taught public school for 8 years, so I’d been in field of education for some time before hearing about Applerouth. I’d also tutored a few students specifically in Math, so that part of the SAT/ACT has always appealed to me.

Q: How did you end up at Applerouth?

A: The Assignments Manager is my best friend so he forced me to come in for an interview (just kidding!) and the rest is herstory.

Q: What’s your favorite part of being a tutor?

A: The students are the best part of being a tutor! My favorite part of working with students is to connect with them and provide a very tailored learning experience for them. The sweetest moments are when my encouragement has allowed them to gain confidence so they feel prepared to go forth & conquer the exam.

Q: What is the most difficult part of your job?

A: I embrace the challenges that come along with this job. The fun challenges are when a student doesn’t get a concept; I must find a third or fourth way to teach a topic in order to make that ‘lightbulb moment’ happen for a student.

Q: What’s your personal educational philosophy - put another way, how do you see yourself as a tutor? What does that mean to you?

A: Students won’t care about what you know unless they know you care. It’s not completely about learning the content or strategies; often times, it’s navigating emotions, anxiety, confidence, life and tearing down walls in order to rebuild a stronger structure/self. Although I am a “test prep tutor,” I tutor the student FIRST & the content and strategies second.

Q: How would you describe your style of teaching?

A: My teaching style is engaging and energetic! It’s a must that learning is fun, so I have a lot of fun teaching/tutoring which is definitely contagious.

Q: What is a piece of advice you often give your students?

A: Trust yourself.

Q: What’s one “win” story that sticks with you? Put another way, what’s a student success story that you come back to as you tutor?

A: Sarah* had a baseline of 15 & ended up with a 26 on the ACT after 20 hours of tutoring. She struggled mainly with confidence as her high school experience had been mostly tumultuous for many reasons. Sarah shared with me that ACT tutoring had completely changed her confidence. She always thought that she could "get by" and/or "get into" college because of her softball skills, but a back injury and subsequent surgery eliminated that option. After tutoring, Sarah felt that she could now not only attend college but also succeed in college because she of her academic confidence! Because Sarah was able to increase her ACT score so dramatically, she applied to more colleges and has gotten accepted into 14 out of 15 and many schools offered scholarships.

I learned a lot from Sarah too, so to say this is a success story would be an understatement!

Q: What are your interests outside of tutoring? Any hobbies or passions?

A: I love to laugh and dance! I like to add color to my life by traveling, but I always enjoy coming home to Atlanta. My nephew has given my life new meaning & it’s a joy to watch him grow. My passion is people, so I am energized by sharing connections with people of all ages & all walks of life. I also recognize the balance of the universe, so I appreciate spending time with myself as well.

Want to work with Shara-Sue or one of our other stellar Premium or Preferred Tutors? Give us a call at 866-789-7737 or email us at info@applerouth.com.

*Student’s name has been changed.